Today the Department of Prime Minister & NEC has donated food hampers to two Charity Organizations; the Cheshire Disability Homes and House of Hope in Port Moresby.
This is part of the 20-Days of Human Rights Activism and Gender Equality & Women Empowerment Campaign which was approved by the Department of Personnel Management.
Chief Secretary, Ivan Pomaleu has acknowledged the Department’s commitment to take part in such activity saying, “the country should be reminded of the issues that women and girls faced daily and it is a way of recognizing and supporting women and girls in Papua New Guinea.”
Upon recognizing the roles of every individual in a society and family, the Chief Secretary expressed the importance of the issues faced and need to be addressed.
“We owe them the 20 days. But those are the issues that should be acknowledged celebrated and addressed. We must live to be active in recognizing the roles of everybody in a society and in a family. Advocate for activism in a personal level,” the Chief Secretary said.
He pointed out that in a patrilineal practicing country, it is a norm in society that women and girls are often seen as lower status to boys and men.
Further Mr. Ivan Pomaleu stressed on the gender roles practiced in the society and how women, girls and children are trained even in their homes to practice gender equality.
“We have the opportunity to model the right character, parents have the responsibility to model the right character.
Every time you participate in an outlook that suggests that a male child is important than a female child you continue to model that there is a difference across all the agenda, you are defining the roles of the children,” he said.
Mr. Pomaleu maintained that as a way of giving back to the country and supporting the 20-day activism, he acknowledged the House of Hope and the Chesire Home for their service rendered to the vulnerable citizens of the country.
“I want to place my thanks to those who contributed out of their means to support this very important gesture. It is very important that we show care and responsibility over those that are less fortunate,” he said.
The Chief Secretary encouraged the Department of their responsibility to the country to emphasize policy alignments and legislative changes that continues to push awareness in the societies in PNG.
“We have our responsibilities as a department to continue to lead the conversation so that enough of our society become aware of what is right and what isn’t right and to continue to advocate. This is a place for advocacy,” Mr. Pomaleu concluded.